Page 196 - YGARTUA : The Work Of A Genius
P. 196
LA CORRIDA
De Toros: The Bull is the national animal and the unofficial symbol
of Spain. It is a symbol of level-headedness, stamina, provision,
fertility, stability, virility, strength, determination and confidence.
The spectacle of the bullfight is not a mere sport. The event is not
only culturally significant but also a fine art in which the bullfighter
elicits emotion through the act of the fight.
If you have grown up part of your life in the Basque Country,
your Father Basque, then you will experience the interest in
the customs and the traditions and the importance of the bull.
Paul’s fascination with the bull started at a very early age as his
Father came from a fishing village (close to Bilbao) surrounded
by farmland and his Grandfather, in the early 30’s,bought half the
mountain, just above the beautiful seaside village of Gorliz. The
bull was a working animal and Paul was often helping out on the
farm and frequently took the bulls into the fields to graze.
The bull is very prevalent at the Basque Fiestas participating in the
traditional games, the most famous Rastra de Piedra showing the
strength and endurance of the bull and nearby was the Running
of the Bulls in Pamplona. Bulls have always been part of life in
the Basque Country and Spain. Bullfighting has always been an
important subject for many artists, wherever they come from. As
many people still do look at the matador and the bullfight as an
art form, whether it be the death of the matador or the bull, it
is a spectacle, a performance of great agility and strength, the
costumes, the cape, the glorious colur, become an interesting
subject. The famous Caves of Altamira and Paleolithic Cave Art
of Northern Spain (close to Gorliz) which Paul visited in the early
50’s, cave paintings of some of the oldest artistic endeavors of
mankind, portraying the bull and man’s fight for survival over
beasts. The Paleolithic paintings and other primitive art were
deeply influential in the attraction and artistic interest to pursue
this subject matter.
OLE BLACK, 2021 INK ON CANVAS 84X48 IN. | 213X121 CM.
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